Liquidity constraints, evolving capital structures and growing ESG scrutiny are redefining how investors operate across CEE, according to Wolf Theiss Co-Managing Partner Tomasz Stasiak. In an interview with Property Forum, he highlights a more selective approach to distressed assets, the rising role of local capital and the increasing importance of operational and regulatory considerations in shaping investment decisions.

Demand is rising in the Czech historic property market, with castles, fortresses and historic estates increasingly becoming prestigious locations not only for living but also for business, according to Luxent – Exclusive Properties.

Romania's real estate investment market recorded a total volume of approximately €152 million in Q1 2026, in a context marked by investor caution and selective activity, according to a report prepared by Fortim Trusted Advisors, a member of the BNP Paribas Real Estate Alliance.

Echo Investment marks 30 years since its debut on the Warsaw Stock Exchange, a milestone in the company’s transformation from a local newspaper publisher in Kielce into one of Poland’s largest real estate developers. Today, it is the only Poland-based company with such extensive experience across three demanding property sectors: office, retail and residential. It is also the core development brand of the Echo Group, established in 2025, reflecting the organisation’s ability to respond to changing market conditions. Entering its fourth decade, the company is focusing on diversification, sustainable growth and large-scale urban projects.

Poland's property investment market recorded €1.02 billion in Q1 2026, representing a 43% year-on-year increase despite 30% lower liquidity, according to Avison Young. 

Pricing adjustments and a more flexible approach from investors are beginning to unlock activity in the real estate investment market. In a video interview recorded at Bratislava Property Forum 2026, Rudolf Nemec MRICS, Partner & Head of Capital Markets at Cushman & Wakefield Slovakia, shared his expectations for the months ahead.

Poland's commercial real estate investment market exceeded €1 billion in Q1 2026, marking the best year opening in four years, according to a JLL report.

CEE's real estate market enters the second quarter of 2026 in a mood of measured confidence. According to Property Forum's survey of nearly 200 real estate professionals from across the region, the majority expect either stable but selective deal flow or a moderate recovery in transaction activity over the next 12 months. Regional CEE investors are seen as the primary engine of dealmaking, while foreign capital is expected to return only selectively. Residential and logistics assets lead on risk-adjusted appeal, and Poland remains the undisputed long-term growth leader. Yet beneath the cautious optimism, one concern towers above all others: geopolitical tensions, cited by nearly two-thirds of respondents as the greatest threat to the market.

The CEE-based markets recorded total transactions of approximately €11.8 billion in 2025, a 34% year-on-year increase and the strongest annual performance since 2019, according to a Cushman & Wakefield report.

Czech development and investment group Passerinvest has completed a public bond issue through Passerinvest Finance, raising the maximum possible amount of CZK 2.5 billion (€100 million). The issue was initially planned for CZK 1.5 billion (€61 million) but was increased due to strong investor demand.